So Round 24 of the NRL kicks off tonight and we’re getting closer to knowing the make-up of the top 8, it seems that each week another team drops out of the race. Last week, the Panthers went down to the Tigers to kill off their season which leaves just 10 teams remaining in the fight for this years premiership.

The Rabbitohs and Bulldogs are still hanging on and can count themselves lucky that the Warriors and Knights faced off last week as that meant they moved 2 points closer to that 8th spot on the ladder. It’s more than likely going to come down to the wire and I wouldn’t be surprised if for and against is all that separates 3 sides for 8th place come the final day of the season.

This week, we kick off with a blockbuster from AAMI Park in Melbourne, with the Storm hosting the Dragons in a match that could see the Storm just about wrap up the minor premiership with a win. On the other side, the Dragons are on a 4 match losing streak and have dropped out of the top 4, they are in danger of falling to as low as 7th should they lose this one. I find it strange that a side can be so consistent as they have been over the last couple of years to go back to being chokers like this. they say that Bennett leaving the club at the end of the year is not the reason for the decline but I tend to disagree. The Storm should get the points here with Gasnier ruled out through injury despite missing Cooper Cronk themselves, this will be 12 straight wins and a club record.

The other Friday game sees the Rabbitohs hosting the Cowboys at ANZ Stadium in a game that could see the Rabbitohs drop out of the running for the top 8 with a loss, or the Cowboys drop out of the top 4 should they lose. The Rabbitohs have been in outstanding form over the last few weeks and have kep their season alive despite their inconsistent start to the year. The Cowboys have done well to remain in the top 4 despite being without key playmaker Thurston for the best part of 6 weeks. This should be an entertaining game as both sides don’t mind the attacking side of the game, the Cowboys welcome back Aaron Payne and I think they will get the job done away from home and it could be bye bye to the Rabbitohs for season 2011.

Saturday night NRL action kicks off this week with the Titans hosting the Raiders from Skilled Park on the Gold Coast in a match that could go a long way to deciding this season’s wooden spoon. Both teams head into the match on the back of thumpings, with the Raiders hammered by the Rabbitohs last week, and the Titans thumped by the Storm. Both sides have plenty to play for with both Preston Campbell and Alan Tongue hanging up their boots at the end of the season, so no doubt their team mates will want to steer them clear of that wooden spoon. The Titans welcome back Anthony Laffranchi this week, and the Raiders are missing Josh Dugan. I think the Titans may get up at home here and breathe life into the race to avoid the wooden spoon.

CUA Stadium plays host to the Panthers and Warriors match on Saturday night and with the Panthers out of the race for the top 8, and the Warriors fighting to finish as high as possible, this could get ugly. We’ve seen over the past few weeks that teams with nothing left to play for have failed to turn up and ended up on the wrong side of some ugly scorelines. I can see this match heading the same way to be honest, the Warriors could sneak into the top 4 on points difference with a win here, should the Dragons and Cowboys both lose. The Panthers welcome back Michael Jennings after his week suspension and Travis Burns from injury, and the Warriors welcome back Lance Hohaia and Elijah Taylor to the side that toppled the Knights last week. The Warriors should get the points here in a match that could see plenty of tries scored.

The Roosters wrap up proceedings on Saturday night when they take on the Sharks at the SFS. After a week of turmoil, the Roosters managed to cause probably the upset of the season by taking the Dragons down last Sunday, and Saturday nigtht they face another one of their bogey sides in the Sharks. The Sharks got the points earlier in the season and the Roosters will be playing for pride once again seeing as they are well and truly out of finals contention. The Sharks are also out of the running for the top 8 and have made several changes to the side that went down to the Bulldogs last week. Ben Pomeroy, Ricky Leutele, Jayson Bukuya and Josh Cordoba all miss out, replaced by Isaac Gordon, Matthew Wright, Jonathan Mannah and Tyson Frizell. The Roosters welcome back Shaun Kenny-Dowall this week, he replaces Kane Linnett who is off to the Cowboys next season. I think the Roosters will get the points at home here but I think it will be a close one.

Sunday afternoon football kicks off with the Sea Eagles hosting the Bulldogs from Brookvale Oval, in a match that could see the Sea Eagles consolidate their top 2 spot, or the Bulldogs keep the race for the top 8 alive should they get the points. The Sea Eagles got the points in a close one last week over the Eels, and can thank a number of high profile blunders from the Eels for the win too. The Bulldogs kept their season alive with a hard fought win over the Sharks on Monday night, getting themselves to within two points of the top 8. The Sea Eagles lose Will Hopoate this week to a hamstring injury, but he is replaced by another former representative winger in David Williams aka Wolfman. Trent Cutler and Micky Paea are replaced this week by Joe Romelo, who returns from suspension, and Chris Armit. I can’t go past the Sea Eagles in this one and I think the Bulldogs could also bow out of the finals race with a loss here, they will then need to rely on Newcastle losing a couple of games to be a chance.

The SFS plays host to it’s second game of Round 24 when the Tigers host the Eels from the home of Rugby League on Sunday afternoon. The Tigers currently sit in 7th place on the ladder, and much like the Warriors they can jump to as high as 4th should results go their way. The Eels, they will be playing to avoid the dreaded wooden spoon, they currently sit in second last place just 1 point ahead of the Titans. The Tigers have been in great form over the past month and for me are the darkhorses in this years competition, they have hit form at the right time of the season and it has 2005 written all over it for me. Both sides have named unchanged line-ups from last weeks matches and this should be a cracking match, just too bad that we won’t get to see this one live on TV as it is the 4 O’clock game on Channel 9 this week. With the Tigers in such good form, I can’t go past them for the win this week, the Eels will need to hope the Titans don’t cause an upset to stay away from bottom spot.

The final game of Round 24 sees the Knights and Broncos facing off at AusGrid Stadium in a timeslot that would be considered unfamiliar for both teams. The Broncos are more accustomed to their Friday nights and the Knights Sunday afternoons, so it will be interesting to see which team handles the move best. The Knights went down to the Warriors last week which put more pressure on them going into the last few weeks of the season, they now sit just 2 points above the Rabbitohs and the Bulldogs in the race for 8th spot. The Broncos have wrapped up a spot in the top 4 and a home final beckons for them. The Knights welcome back Matt Hilder to the side this week, with Keith Lulia making way. The Broncos are unchanged from the side that knocked the Cowboys off last Friday night in what was Darren Lockyer’s 350th match. I think the Broncos will continue their good form and heap more pressure on the Knights going into the last two weeks of the regular season.

sportsbanter.com.au Tips – Storm, Cowboys, Titans, Warriors, Roosters, Sea Eagles, Tigers, Broncos.

Banter’s Best Bets – Storm @ $1.65, Cowboys + 3.5 @ $1.91, Titans 1-12 @ $3.15, Warriors 13+ @ $2.55, Roosters – 3.0 @ $1.72, Sea Eagles 13+ @ $ 2.10, Eels + 11.5 @ $1.72, Broncos – 2.0 @ $1.72.

Penrith Panthers v Wests Tigers – Friday 7.35pm – Centrebet Stadium

The last time these two sides met the Tigers got the points 20-18 in what was a nail biting encounter at Campbelltown Stadium, the Tigers have won the last two clashes in fact, however it is the Panthers who generally have the wood on the Tigers with 5 wins in their last 8 clashes.

The Tigers go into this match looking to jump up at least one spot higher on the table, they currently sit in 8th spot and with the Knights and Warriors doing battle this week a win here will guarantee them at least 7th spot. The Panthers are currently in 11th and a win here will keep their season alive for another week.

The Panthers have a number of changes to the side that went down to the Storm last week. Luke Lewis and Lachlan Coote out with injury means Junior Vaivai and Harry Seijka come into the side with Jennings going to fullback and David Simmons to the wing.

The Tigers just have the one change with Mitch Brown coming into the side for Chris Lawrence, he misses out with a hamstring injury that will see him out for a few weeks.

With the Tigers in good form, and the Panthers trying to avoid a 4th straight loss which would all but end their season, this should be a cracker. I can’t go past the Tigers though who look to have hit form at the perfect time heading into the finals.

Sportingbet Prices
Panthers: $2.80
Tigers: $1.45

sportsbanter.com.au Tip – Tigers
Banter’s Best Bet – Tigers – 5.0 @ $1.72

North Queensland Cowboys v Brisbane Broncos – Friday 7.35pm – Dairy Farmers Stadium

Friday night football continues with a match that has all the makings of a blockbuster. This match will see Darren Lockyer break the all-time record for matches played, taking his tally to 350 and going past Terry Lamb and Steve Menzies. It also sees the return of Jonathan Thurston from an extended period out with the injury he suffered in Origin, the game he helped to send Lockyer out a winner in.

The Cowboys and Broncos are separated by just 2 points on the ladder, with the Broncos holding 3rd spot and the Cowboys sitting in 4th. A win for the Cowboys by anything more than a field goal will see them overtake the Broncos and give them a good chance of tying down that top 4 spot with just a few weeks left to play until the finals.

The Cowboys also welcome back Matt Scott and Kalifa Faifai Loa in addition to Thurston, however they received a blow midweek with Aaron Payne ruled out with a fractured cheekbone he received in training. Ben Jones was initially replaced by Thurston in the halves however he may now get a reprieve with a call up to to act as back up for James Segeyaro, who is likely to take Payne’s place in the side.

The Broncos have just the one change with Josh McGuire coming into the starting side at prop to replace the injured Ben Hannant, David Hala moves into the 17 as a result.

With the Cowboys welcoming back their big guns, and the Broncos looking to make Lockyer’s 350th game one to remember, this should be a beauty. I think the Cowboys may just spoil the party though with Thurston back to lead his side further up the table.

Sportingbet Prices
Cowboys: $1.95
Broncos: $1.87

sportsbanter.com.au Tip – Cowboys
Banter’s Best Bet – Cowboys 1-12 @ $3.60

New Zealand Warriors v Newcastle Knights – Saturday 5.30pm – Mt. Smart Stadium

Last week the Warriors went down by a point to the Broncos up at Suncorp, the loss ending a 4 game winning streak. The Knights demolished the Raiders at AusGrid Stadium 40-8, they have amassed 90 points in just 2 weeks and are in devastating form at the moment.

The Knights and Warriors sit in 6th and 7th place on the Table respectively, both sides could fall as low as 8th with a loss here should the Tigers get up over the Panthers. The Warriors have the wood over the Knights in recent times, the Knights haven’t won at Mt Smart Stadium in 5 starts, and the Warriors have won 7 of the last 8 clashes between the two sides.

The Warriors welcome back Joel Moon which sees utility Lewis Brown go back to the bench. Jacob Lillyman and Ben Matulino do their customary swap with Lillyman getting to start this week, while Ukuma Ta’ai gets a spot on the bench with Elijah Taylor dropped.

The Knights have a couple of minor changes to the side that put 40 on the Raiders, with Joel Edwards starting at lock and Cameron Ciraldo going back to the bench, Richie Fa’aoso joins him on an extended bench.

With the Warriors at home I think they will get the points in this one, the Knights have been in good form but their record at Mt Smart Stadium and against the Warriors in general does not inspire confidence.

Sportingbet Prices
Warriors: $1.48
Knights: $2.70

sportsbanter.com.au Tip – Warriors
Banter’s Best Bet – Warriors 13+ @ $2.65

Gold Coast Titans v Melbourne Storm – Saturday 7.30pm – Skilled Park

Super Saturday continues with a match on paper that looks done and dusted, the Titans are currently battling to avoid the wooden spoon, while the Storm are close to securing the minor premiership after taking the wooden spoon themselves last season, albeit in far different circumstances.

The Storm got the job done against the Panthers last week that stretched their winning streak to 10, one more would equal their longest ever streak of 11 wins. The Titans breathed some life into the battle at the other end of the Table with a 20-16 win over the Sharks at Toyota Stadium.

The Titans lose captain Scott Prince for the rest of the season with a broken arm, and what better way for Preston Campbell to go out then to help lead the Titans for the next few weeks and steer them away from the spoon. Luke Bailey gets the captains arm band for this one, Greg Bird returns with Clinton Toopi but both only make the bench, a decision to be made prior to kickoff to drop 2 players.

The Storm get Jesse Bromwich back from injury, however that is offset by the loss of Adam Woolnough with an Achilles injury that could see him out until the finals and perhaps beyond. Some minor positional changes with Manu to the second row, Kevin Proctor to lock and Hinchcliffe back to the bench.

I can’t see anything other than a comprehensive Storm win here, as much as I’d like to see more life breathed into the battle at both ends of the table, the Storm should not lose this one.

Sportingbet Prices
Titans: $6.00
Storm: $1.13

sportsbanter.com.au Tip – Storm
Banter’s Best Bet – Storm – 16.5 @ $1.91

Parramatta Eels v Manly Sea Eagles – Saturday 7.30pm – Parramatta Stadium

Saturday night NRL action concludes with the Eels taking on the Sea Eagles at Parramatta Stadium, the last time these two played the Sea Eagles got up in a thriller, scoring a try in the final minutes to take the game 22-18. The Eels are in a far worse position now though, just 1 point off the wooden spoon and coming off a 50 point hiding at the hands of the Rabbitohs on Monday night.

The Sea Eagles were on the other end last week, demolishing the Roosters 36-8 at Brookvale to consolidate 2nd spot on the ladder.

The Eels saw another player retire after a disappointing season with big Carl Webb announcing earlier this week that he has retired from rugby league, joining Chris Walker and Paul Whatuira. These retirements obviously helped free up some more space under the salary cap with news today that the Eels have signed Willie Tonga from the Cowboys for 2 seasons starting next year.

This week the Eels welcome back Jordan Atkins who replaces Chris Hicks, and Reni Maitua slots back in at lock, Mitchell Allgood goes back to the bench.

The Sea Eagles have lost Jason King for the remainder of the season with a pectoral tear, how many of these have we seen so far this year, he is replaced by George Rose with Tim Robinson drafted onto the bench. Michael Robertson is also welcomed back to the side after his stint on the sidelines with concussion, that sees Michael Oldfield drop from the side.

These two teams seasons could not be any further apart, the Eels should bounce back this week with a better showing not least to give their fans something back after a horror season, but I can’t see them getting close enough to the Sea Eagles to get the points here.

Sportingbet Prices
Eels: $3.75
Sea Eagles: $1.28

sportsbanter.com.au Tip – Sea Eagles
Banter’s Best Bet – Sea Eagles 13+ @ $2.15

Canberra Raiders v South Sydney Rabbitohs – Sunday 2pm – Canberra Stadium

Sunday afternoon football kicks off at Canberra Stadium with the Raiders hosting the Rabbitohs. The Raiders were flogged 40-8 by the Knights last week, while the Rabbitohs put 56 points on the Eels to give themselves a slim chance of making the finals with 4 weeks to go.

The Raiders are still in danger of the wooden spoon after the Titans got a win last week, they now sit just 2 points above the Titans and need to get a win or two to try and avoid that spoon.

The Rabbitohs currently sit in 9th place, 4 points adrift of the Warriors, Knights and Tigers, however a win here will see them move to within 2 points of the 8 with the Warriors and Knights doing battle on Saturday afternoon.

The Raiders have a number of changes this week with Reece Robinson, Bronson Harrison, Alan Tongue and Sam Mataora replacing Daniel Vidot, Josh Papalii, Glen Buttriss and Dane Tilse.

The Rabbitohs just have the one minor change from last weeks side with Shaun Corrigan swapping positions with Dylan Farrell on the right hand side of the Rabbitohs attack.

With the Rabbitohs needing a win to keep their season alive, I can’t go past them for the win, the Raiders have too many injuries and even though the match is being played in the nations capital, the Rabbitohs should get the points comfortably.

Sportingbet Prices
Raiders: $2.20
Rabbitohs: $1.70

sportsbanter.com.au Tip – Rabbitohs
Banter’s Best Bet – Rabbitohs – 2.5 @ $1.91

St George-Illawarra Dragons v Sydney Roosters – Sunday 3pm – WIN Stadium

Sunday afternoon football concludes with the Dragons hosting the Roosters from WIN Stadium.

What a horror week it has been for the Roosters, first they get smashed by the Sea Eagles on Sunday afternoon, then they follow that up with Carney, Myles and Nuuasuala going out on the town, breaking a booze ban that the team agreed upon earlier in the week. Now they will be without 3 key players this week and they are only 2 points away from picking up the wooden spoon for the second time in 3 seasons.

The Dragons haven’t been fairing much better over the past month though, they are on a 3 match losing streak and a loss here will see them just 1 point ahead of the sixth place Warriors or Knights (depending on who wins that battle). They have only won 1 of their last 8 after being the competition leaders all season, as it appears the choking tag looks to be reattached.

The Dragons retain the same side that went down late to the Tigers last Friday night, with both Jamie Soward and Beau Scott named despite niggling injuries restricting them over the last week.

The Roosters are yet to name the replacements for the 3 players suspended midweek, however Carney is likely to be covered with Anasta moving back to his favoured 5/8 position, with Jarred Waerea-Hargreaves possibly starting at lock, and big Mose Masoe staring in the front row, they also have Symonds and Arona that could take the other second row spot.

This week couldn’t get any worse for the Roosters and what better way to start turning things around than to get one over the team that beat them in last years grand final. I can’t see it happening to be honest but I do think they will respond with an improved performance this week. The Dragons should be too strong at home despite their recent poor form.

Sportingbet Prices
Dragons: $1.11
Roosters: $6.75

sportsbanter.com.au Tip – Dragons
Banter’s Best Bet – Roosters + 16.0 @ $2.00

Cronulla Sharks v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs – Monday 7pm – Toyota Stadium

The final match of round 23 comes to us from Toyota Stadium, with the Sharks taking on the Bulldogs on Monday night.

Last week the Sharks went down to wooden spoon favourites the Titans 20-16, in what was a match they should have won easily as they dominated every stat except the one that matters, the score. The Bulldogs got the points 14-6 against the Cowboys and still have a very slim chance of making the 8, they’ll need plenty of sides to do them favours though.

The Sharks season is officially over after last weeks loss, they can no longer rely on mathematics to get them pumped each week so it will be interesting to see how they handle this week. Looking at score lines over the last month you can see that the blowouts have occurred when one team has nothing to play for and the other does, we have that situation here.

The Sharks welcome back Albert Kelly and Nathan Gardner this week, when these two got injured the Sharks started going downhill and they should add some pace and creativity to the side. Isaac Gordon moves to the wing and Matthew Wright is dropped from the side, Jason Bukuya returns and pushes Tautai out of the side. Paul Aiton is also missing, Colin Best joins Albert Kelly on an extended bench.

The Bulldogs just have a couple of minor changes with Ben Roberts returning to the side, he replaces Josh Reynolds who moves to hooker and forces Joe Romelo out of the side altogether.

The Bulldogs should get the points here and they should move to within 2 points of the top 8, I can’t see the Sharks getting close with nothing to play for.

Sportingbet Prices
Sharks: $2.10
Bulldogs: $1.75

sportsbanter.com.au Tip – Bulldogs
Banter’s Best Bet – Bulldogs 13+ @ $3.40